Is Susan Collins remaining in the Senate a good thing?

On Friday, Maine Senator Susan Collins announced she would not be leaving the Senate to run for governor of Maine. Collins is one of a dying breed in Congress, a true moderate who can reach across party lines and get things done. She has been a thorn in the side of President Trump since before he took office. Collins, before the election, announced that she would not vote for him. She was one of two senators to vote against his nominee for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. She opposed him on the travel ban and was critical to defeating two attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare. With her tendency to challenge President Trump on issues, is Senator Collins staying in the Senate a good thing?

Those who think her remaining is a good thing quickly point out that she is a desperately needed voice in the Senate, because she is one of the very few people who can get bipartisan deals done. They see her as a moderate voice that can bring Republicans and Democrats close enough together that they can make a deal on some issues. People who are happy she is staying point out she is one of only a small group of people that still put her principles ahead of her party.

People who think it is a bad thing she is staying in the Senate see her as an obstructionist, and that she deliberately sabotages her party’s effort to make changes, for her own glorification. They do not see her as a true Republican but a RINO or a Republican in name only. People also feel, as long as the Republicans are forced to rely on her vote, they will never be able to truly move forward with a true conservative agenda.

Senator Susan Collins staying in the Senate will maintain the status quo for the time being. She is respected on both sides of the aisle. Many feel she is a critical voice in any effort to reach a bipartisan deal on any legislation, and, if she left, the gridlock in the Senate would only get worse. However, others see her as responsible for many of the Republican legislative defeats, since President Trump took office, and she will continue to cause problems as long as she is there.

The Issue

Is Senator Collins’ decision to remain in the Senate a good thing? Does it keep a key moderate voice in the Senate, or does it keep a fake Republican in the Senate that will prevent conservatives from achieving their goals?

In support of Susan Collins staying in the Senate

Senator Collins is one of the last true moderates left in Congress. She is one of the few people left that is capable of getting a true bipartisan deal done.

Susan Collins says she's not running for Governor. I know she really wanted to. But her vacated Senate seat would have been filled by a corrupt extremist republican appointee, and she wasn't willing to let that happen. So she's staying in the Senate to block Trump. Good for her.

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